Bird's Nest
by lightblue-Nymphadora
Summary: James can't understand why everyone's so obsessed with his hair. James/Alice nextgen fic.


_**LbN: Written for PenonPaperFingersonKeys' "Daring Different Dangerous?" challenge. Here were my prompts:**_

Alice/James. ( Next-Gen.) **Quote: **"Oi! Get your hands off my girl, Birds Nest." - "Seriously? _Birds nest_. Ha. Pathetic."

* * *

"James, please just let me give your hair a trim before you go back to Hogwarts," Ginny said.

"Mum," James sighed.

"Come on, Mum, leave him alone," Albus grinned. "It's nowhere near as long as Uncle Bill's hair."

"Or Uncle Charlie's," Lily added.

"I'm experiencing an odd sense of déjà vu," Harry muttered, smiling.

"Huh?" all three kids said.

"What your father means is that I'm turning into my mother," Ginny explained. "Fine, go to school with your hair all over," she sighed dramatically as the teenagers laughed. "Just promise me that you'll comb through it…."

"Cross my heart," James said, digging into his apple pie.

* * *

"One week back and yeh've already got a detention?" Hagrid asked as he saw James walking toward him. "Yeh beat yer dad and granddad's records, tha's fer sure."

"It was a simple misunderstanding," James said, tossing his hair out of his eyes. "What are we doing today?"

"Ye'r gonna be choppin' wood. No magic."

"Hagrid!"

"Wouldn' be a detention if I let you lounge 'round my 'ouse. When yeh got a few cords chopped, yeh can pull up the weeds from 'round the cabbages."

"Sure, Hagrid," James said, locating the ax and going to the chopping block. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

James stood up and stretched. His back was killing him. Hagrid had failed to mention that these particular weeds would fight back when he tried to dislodge them…. As he was contemplating taking his chances with his wand, he heard his name being called.

"James!" Alice Longbottom, Professor Longbottom's daughter, was running toward him, carrying something.

"Alice," James said, "How'd you know I was down here?"

"Your cousin, the first year?"

"Fred?"

"Yeah. He said you got into a spot of trouble with Filch and ended up doing hard labor for it."

"Well, he would know, seeing as he was an accomplice…."

"Corrupting the first years…shame on you James Sirius."

"I knew I shouldn't have told you my middle name."

"I like this look," Alice said, pulling a few twigs out of his hair. "You could always cut it. That way you wouldn't have to have Albus groom you every time you help Hagrid."

"I like the feeling of the wind in my hair," James grinned.

"You like having a forest growing up there," Alice said, rolling her eyes. "You think it makes you look _rugged_."

James laughed and hugged her.

"Just try and stay out of trouble until _after_ the Hogsmead trip," Alice said. "You owe me lunch now." She handed him the bag she'd brought, which contained a sandwich, chips, and a bottle of pumpkin juice.

The seventeen-year-old smiled and nodded. "Thanks," he said, hugging her.

"Oi! Get your hands off my girl, Bird's Nest!"

James turned toward the castle again, smirking at Adam McDougal. He twirled his wand, and with flourish, stuck it behind his ear. "Bird's Nest? Ha! Pathetic. We really need to teach you how to throw an insult. Also, how to tell when a girl breaks up with you. It's been a year, let it go!"

"Come on, Alice," Adam said. "Flitwick's holding a Charms Club meeting in ten."

"No thanks, Adam," Alice said wearily.

"Didn't I say to get your hands off of her?" Adam snapped, pulling James away. His small posse of friends surrounded the oldest Potter.

"Leave him alone, Adam!" Alice yelled, pulling out her wand.

"Put it away," James said. "There's no need for you to get in trouble. Not for this loser."

Adam pulled back to hit him…and was promptly tackled to the ground.

"Got your Patronus," Blaise Zabini Jr. grunted.

"Took you long enough, Zabini!" James said, helping the other Gryffindor up.

"Yes well, those two were in the middle of…er…something," Blaise said, nodding to where Scorpius and Albus were keeping Adam's posse from attacking. "Had to pull them apart and make sure they were presentable before we could rush to your rescue."

Hagrid came out of the woods at that point. "Oi! What're yeh lot doin'? James is 'posed to be doin' his detention."

"Alice just brought me lunch is all," James said quickly, watching Adam's gang of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors retreat. "They were just leaving."

"Yar, well, yeh can go with 'em if yeh want. Garden looks pretty clean. I'll take care o' the rest m'self."

"Cheers, Hagrid!"

"Comb yer hair when you get up t' the castle," Hagrid said. "It looks like a bird's nest."

With a grin and a nod, James took Alice's hand and followed the others back up to the castle.

**_LbN: Hope you liked it! Send reviews please!_**


End file.
